Companies are paying more attention to social responsibility attitudes of their employees because consumers now expect companies to be ethical and responsible. A study by Nielson found consumers are also putting their money where their heart is . Thus, companies now place a premium on job applicants who demonstrate high standards of personal character. This does give me confidence regarding my career prospects because I have demonstrated my commitment to social responsibility through personal examples.
One of my most important community service experiences was volunteering with a local NGO in Egypt which served food and provided other welfare services such as financial assistance and medical services to the poor people during the Islamic month of Ramadan. I interacted with a wide range of people including orphans, widows, and old people with no relative or child to take care of them. The experiences also made me realize my good fortune and understand how much life circumstances matter in shaping one’s future. There were many children who displayed high intelligence level but didn’t have access to right education opportunities. The experience strengthened my commitment to community service, and I intend to dedicate significant time and financial resources towards community development efforts. I believe companies are community citizens just as individuals are and it is their ethical responsibility to contribute towards communities and also encourage their employees to do the same. Community development efforts are also good for business because they improve corporate image and strengthen customer loyalty.
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I am also a huge believer in the power of education. Thus, one of my community service experiences involved joining a local mentoring program under which I helped poor children learn to read and write. I acted not like my students’ teacher but more as a friend. I also took measures to make the learning process fun to enhance students’ engagement. The experience opened my eyes that most young people love school and would do nothing but study if their economic circumstances allow. Thus, one of my plans is to work with local and international NGOs to improve school attendance among children from a poor background in both Egypt and other poor countries. I will also work to persuade corporations to join with me because when the population is educated, it enjoys higher average income levels which also mean higher demand for goods and services. Thus, socially responsible corporate initiatives are almost always win-win situations for both the business and the community. I also believe both businesses and community share the responsibility to invest in young people. Young people often go off-track due to lack of guidance and maturity and mentoring and education can play a major role in transforming them into productive members of the society.
I believe social responsibility doesn’t only involve taking care of current generations, but also future generations. This is one of the reasons I am very passionate about the issue of global warming. It is our social responsibility to leave a better world to the future generations but we have been failing so far as we are almost reaching the point of no return. But it is still not too late and even though I may not be able to do much on my own, together my generation is capable of a lot. Thus, I have made it a mission to educate people I know including my friends, family members, relatives, and other acquaintances I am connected to through social media such as Facebook. I have subscribed to the email newsletters such as those from 350.org, National Geographic, and LiveScience and I frequently receive the climate change articles. I not only read them but also share them through the social media to promote wider awareness. The people I share the articles with sometimes share those articles with other people on their friends’ or followers’ list. As people become more informed, they also choose their political representatives more wisely. I am concerned about the climate change but I am also quite optimistic because there is a growing awareness that the issue of climate change cannot be ignored for long without serious negative consequences.
My high degree of social awareness and a history of community service will benefit me in career search and career advancement opportunities because companies now place a high premium on community activism. It is also important to note that employees are the face of their respective employers and the professional and personal conduct of the employees does influence the corporate image. As a result, my high ethical and social responsibility standards will help me access leadership opportunities so that I can lead through personal examples and set a good precedent for others. I will also enjoy high levels of trust by my superiors and colleagues that will increase my professional influence within the organization.
- NIELSEN. 2014. Global Consumers are Willing to Put Their Money Where Their Heart is When it Comes to Goods and Services from Companies Committed to Social Responsibility. [online]. [Accessed 13 October 2015]. Available from World Wide Web:
